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Ambivalent Borderwork An Ethnographic Account of Migrant Solidarity Against Border Violence on Lesbos and Athens

Litsis, Giorgos LU (2026) SANM05 20261
Social Anthropology
Abstract (Swedish)
This ethnographic study examines how activists engaged in migrant solidarity in
Lesbos and Athens contest, experience, and participate in bordering. It
demonstrates that activists contest border violence by politicizing migrant deaths,
challenging dominant narratives, and organizing forms of resistance, while also
becoming subject to bordering through the anticipation of legal risk and visibleassociation. Furthermore, it illustrates how organizational practices within antihierarchical solidarity initiatives can produce internal bordering around
membership, the allocation of resources, and participation. These processes are
examined through Rumford’s concept of borderwork, and their interplay is
conceptualized as ambivalent... (More)
This ethnographic study examines how activists engaged in migrant solidarity in
Lesbos and Athens contest, experience, and participate in bordering. It
demonstrates that activists contest border violence by politicizing migrant deaths,
challenging dominant narratives, and organizing forms of resistance, while also
becoming subject to bordering through the anticipation of legal risk and visibleassociation. Furthermore, it illustrates how organizational practices within antihierarchical solidarity initiatives can produce internal bordering around
membership, the allocation of resources, and participation. These processes are
examined through Rumford’s concept of borderwork, and their interplay is
conceptualized as ambivalent borderwork. Importantly, ambivalence does not
concern activists’ commitment to challenging border violence, but emerges
through the organizational practices activists employ to sustain solidarity. This
extends borderwork scholarship by shifting analytical attention from activistmigrant relations to relations among activists. The thesis also draws on Jasper’s
concepts of moral emotions and moral batteries to investigate how emotions help
sustain activists’ continued engagement in solidarity work. Indignation reinforces
activists’ commitment by framing migrant deaths and pushbacks as injustices,
while the interplay between anger generated by border injustices and hope rooted
in the possibility of future social change sustains their engagement over time. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Litsis, Giorgos LU
supervisor
organization
course
SANM05 20261
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Social Anthropology, borderwork, migrant solidarity, border violence, bordering processes, moral emotions, activism
language
English
id
9251868
date added to LUP
2026-09-25 12:28:46
date last changed
2026-09-25 12:28:46
@misc{9251868,
  abstract     = {{This ethnographic study examines how activists engaged in migrant solidarity in 
Lesbos and Athens contest, experience, and participate in bordering. It 
demonstrates that activists contest border violence by politicizing migrant deaths, 
challenging dominant narratives, and organizing forms of resistance, while also 
becoming subject to bordering through the anticipation of legal risk and visibleassociation. Furthermore, it illustrates how organizational practices within antihierarchical solidarity initiatives can produce internal bordering around 
membership, the allocation of resources, and participation. These processes are 
examined through Rumford’s concept of borderwork, and their interplay is
conceptualized as ambivalent borderwork. Importantly, ambivalence does not 
concern activists’ commitment to challenging border violence, but emerges 
through the organizational practices activists employ to sustain solidarity. This
extends borderwork scholarship by shifting analytical attention from activistmigrant relations to relations among activists. The thesis also draws on Jasper’s 
concepts of moral emotions and moral batteries to investigate how emotions help 
sustain activists’ continued engagement in solidarity work. Indignation reinforces 
activists’ commitment by framing migrant deaths and pushbacks as injustices, 
while the interplay between anger generated by border injustices and hope rooted 
in the possibility of future social change sustains their engagement over time.}},
  author       = {{Litsis, Giorgos}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Ambivalent Borderwork An Ethnographic Account of Migrant Solidarity Against Border Violence on Lesbos and Athens}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}